中

zhōng

Pinyin
zhōng
Pinyin (Plain)
zhong
Tone
1
Strokes
4
Radical
丨
Readings
zhōngzhongTone: 1(bound form) China; Chinese; surname ZhongOrder: 0Primary
Stroke Order Code
Speed
Stroke Order Data
["M 254 596 Q 244 603 202 608 Q 189 611 185 605 Q 178 598 189 580 Q 228 507 254 384 Q 260 347 282 324 Q 303 300 307 318 Q 310 328 310 343 L 306 381 Q 305 390 303 399 Q 276 513 267 556 C 261 585 259 594 254 596 Z", "M 752 425 Q 765 462 777 498 Q 793 546 828 578 Q 853 603 821 624 Q 793 648 762 666 Q 743 679 717 668 Q 677 655 615 646 Q 575 642 535 636 L 476 628 Q 427 622 380 613 Q 307 603 254 596 C 224 592 237 551 267 556 Q 274 556 286 559 Q 400 587 476 593 L 534 600 Q 604 609 698 615 Q 717 616 724 607 Q 739 583 693 435 C 684 406 742 397 752 425 Z", "M 530 370 Q 630 380 764 386 Q 776 387 778 397 Q 779 406 752 425 C 730 441 723 440 693 435 Q 606 420 530 407 L 475 399 Q 385 389 306 381 C 276 378 280 341 310 343 Q 314 343 321 343 Q 382 356 475 365 L 530 370 Z", "M 475 365 Q 472 17 485 -11 Q 486 -12 488 -16 Q 503 -32 512 -10 Q 530 32 530 370 L 530 407 Q 531 519 534 600 L 535 636 Q 538 742 559 778 Q 566 794 545 811 Q 520 830 475 843 Q 454 847 441 833 Q 431 826 444 812 Q 472 787 475 753 Q 475 704 476 628 L 476 593 Q 476 517 476 419 Q 475 409 475 399 L 475 365 Z"]
Meaning
Chinese character **“中”** mainly means **“middle / center”** (e.g., in the middle of something, the central part, or being moderate). It is also used in words related to **China or Chinese** (e.g., 中国 “China”, 中文 “Chinese language”).
Metadata
Locale: en
Cached At: 3/24/2026, 7:17:58 PM

Usage

The character “中” (zhōng) is very common and usually carries the core ideas of “middle,” “center,” or “within.” Learners first meet it in basic words like 中国 (Zhōngguó, China, literally “Middle Kingdom”), 中间 (middle), 中心 (center), and 中学 (middle school). It also appears in time and sequence expressions such as 中午 (noon), 过程中 (in the process), and 年中 (mid-year). In many of these, it suggests something located between two points, at the core of something, or happening during a period of time. “中” is also widely used as a grammatical element in patterns indicating “in the middle of doing something” or “in progress,” for example 在学习中 (in the process of studying), 工作中 (at work / while working), or 使用中 (in use). It appears in compound adjectives and adverbs implying “moderate” or “medium level,” like 中等 (medium, moderate) and 中级 (intermediate level). Learners will quickly recognize “中” as a very productive character that combines with nouns, verbs, and time words to mean “in,” “during,” “amid,” or “central/middle” in many everyday phrases.

Handwriting Notes

中 is visually simple but has a few details that matter in handwriting. It’s a roughly square shape with an outer box-like frame (not fully closed at the bottom in standard writing) and a vertical line running through the center. In neat handwriting, people aim to keep the character balanced: the vertical line is centered, and the upper and lower parts inside the “box” are roughly even. The vertical stroke should slightly extend beyond the top and sometimes just touch or slightly pass the lower line, creating a clear sense of “middle.” In everyday handwriting, 中 can vary in how tight or open it looks. Some writers make the outer shape more rectangular than square, or leave the bottom more obviously open. The central vertical may tilt a bit, be longer or shorter, or join the inner horizontal line more loosely. Calligraphic or stylized writing may exaggerate these differences, but the key visual cues remain: a box-like enclosure and a central vertical line crossing a horizontal. Modern AI handwriting recognition systems are trained to recognize these consistent structural features, so they can correctly identify 中 even when it is written quickly, with slight distortion, or in different personal styles.

Description

The Chinese character “中” (zhōng) commonly means “middle” or “center,” and by extension “medium” or “within.” It is widely used in words related to central position (e.g., middle of something), and in “中国” (Zhōngguó), the standard name for China.

Common Words

  • 中国ZhōngguóChina
  • 中文ZhōngwénChinese (language)
  • 中学zhōngxuémiddle school; secondary school
  • 中午zhōngwǔnoon; midday
  • 中间zhōngjiānmiddle; center; among
  • 中国人Zhōngguó rénChinese person; Chinese people
  • 中医zhōngyītraditional Chinese medicine; Chinese doctor (of TCM)
  • 中心zhōngxīncenter; heart; core
  • 中间人zhōngjiān rénmiddleman; intermediary
  • 中等zhōngděngmedium; middle level; moderate
  • 中年zhōngniánmiddle age; middle-aged
  • 中旬zhōngxúnthe middle ten days of a month
  • 中立zhōnglìneutral; neutrality
  • 中性zhōngxìngneutral (chemistry/grammar); androgynous
  • 中级zhōngjíintermediate level; middle level
  • 中断zhōngduànto interrupt; to break off
  • 中止zhōngzhǐto suspend; to discontinue; to terminate
  • 中部zhōngbùcentral part; middle region
  • 中间层zhōngjiān céngmiddle layer; intermediate layer
  • 中考zhōngkǎosenior high school entrance exam (in China)
  • 中山装ZhōngshānzhuāngMao suit; Sun Yat-sen suit
  • 中世纪Zhōngshìjìthe Middle Ages; medieval times
  • 中风zhòngfēngstroke (medical condition); apoplexy
  • 中队zhōngduìsquadron; company (military/police)
  • 中篇小说zhōngpiān xiǎoshuōnovella; medium-length novel
  • 中号zhōnghàomedium size
  • 中专zhōngzhuānsecondary specialized school; technical secondary school
  • 中介zhōngjièagency; intermediary; broker
  • 中枢zhōngshūcenter; hub; central (as in nervous system)
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